Spokane Among Best Cities for Newlyweds
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Wondering what’s going on in Spokane this week? We round up all the latest interesting news in Spokane here – chat about the latest Spokane news over at our new Facebook group here!
Miss out on our previous news stories? You can find all the news you missed here!
Study ranks Spokane among best cities for newlywed couples [FOX28 Spokane]
Summary: A new study reports Spokane is among the top 30 “Best Cities for Newlyweds.”
In the study from Destify, the Lilac City ranked 26th out of over 300 U.S. cities for newlywed couples to put down roots…
Pittsburgh ranked first on the list, followed by St. Louis, Orlando, Atlanta and Columbia.
ES Analysis: We can’t say we’re that surprised by the news! While many of the amenities that bring people to Spokane aren’t ‘newlywed’ or ‘couples-only’, they do provide a variety of interesting and fun things to do that new couples love, like hiking, boating, attending comedy clubs, trying out new bars, and so much more.
Also, it’s more bragging rights for Spokane: apparently no other city in the Pacific Northwest even ranked on this list!
Gonzaga launches initiative to meet educational, health needs in northeast Spokane [Spokesman-Review]
Summary: Many well-meaning people have come into neighborhoods in northeast Spokane with big ideas about how to fix the problems they see in those communities over the years, then left without leaving a lasting impact, community leaders, such as Logan Elementary Principal Brent Perdue and Northeast Community Center Executive Director Dave Richardson, say.
But Gonzaga University’s newly announced Opportunity Northeast initiative is different to them.
Rather than force its own agenda upon northeast Spokane,the school said it embarked on a listening tour about two years ago to learn from the people who live and work in those communities about their perceptions and the issues they face to inform existing programs and create new ones…
Among the priorities that remained five years later were food insecurity, access to health care and education, building more connected neighborhoods, and housing quality and affordability…
Gonzaga and an advisory board identified three focus areas for Opportunity Northeast: improve educational opportunities and outcomes for both youth and adults; increase safety, as well as access to health care, food and quality housing; and engage the entire Gonzaga community in this process to provide learning and leadership development opportunities.
The programs from the initiative will be pursued through community partnerships with schools, nonprofits and other groups…
ES Analysis: This is a fairly long but extremely well-written and comprehensive article about some of the best things Gonzaga does well: fulfilling its Jesuit, humanistic tradition of giving back to the community and making it better for future generations.
It’s initiatives like this that continue to make me proud to be a Gonzaga grad, and after reading this article, it’s clear Gonzaga has a plan, a structure, strategy and follow through to see this program years into the future. This is another type of investment we love to see in Spokane, especially since it helps some of the most important members of the community: Spokane kids.
Kitty Cantina, Spokane’s first cat café, plans for early April opening [KREM2]
Summary: Cats and coffee: It sounds like the purr-fect combination. Spokane’s first cat café is inching closer to its opening in North Spokane.
Kitty Cantina shared on their Kickstarter page that they are a bit behind schedule on their building remodel, but they think an early April opening date is realistic.
The cat café will open at 6704 N. Nevada St. in Suite No. 1.
ES Analysis: It looks like our favorite Spokane cat cafe is a little delayed in opening, but that’s understandable when it comes to construction! We have a location now and a tentative date.
Until then, make sure to check out our article on the Kitty Cantina and our interview with owners Justyn and Tori Cozza. You’ll learn about how a cat cafe runs, its goals, and more!
Spokane Arts announces call for second art installation in Riverfront Park [The Inlander]
Summary: Back in 2016 artist, architect and urban planner Meejin Yoon was selected from a nationwide search to design an art installation in Riverfront Park as part of the Riverfront Spokane redevelopment project. Jump forward to 2020 and site work will begin in the spring for Yoon’s piece, “StepWell,” intended to overlook Spokane Falls.
Now Spokane Arts is searching for another artist to create another Riverfront Park art installation.
With the end goal being an accessible, welcoming, interactive piece that will make Riverfront Park an inviting destination for visitors to Spokane and residents alike, Spokane Arts is looking for artists in the Inland Northwest region of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. The deadline for the first part of the application is this coming Friday, February 21.
ES Analysis: Are you an Inland Northwest artist or know someone who is? This is your/their opportunity to have a piece of your art live on forever in Spokane! While a final location hasn’t been determined yet, this is an incredible opportunity for local artists.
Also, it’s a wonderful sign to see Spokane voters approving funding for projects like this. According to writer Macie White for The Inlander, the Riverfront Spokane redevelopment project is funded “by the 2014 voter-approved bond to renovate Riverfront Park.” Local artists can apply for this opportunity here.
Readers, what did you think of this week’s news update? Share your thoughts and opinions at our free, private Facebook group ‘Getting to Know Spokane’ here!
